A MEMORIAL sculpture offering a place of remembrance for parents whose children were stillborn or died at a young age has been unveiled.

The stone carving in the Stonefall Cemetery, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, was created by artist Andy Banks after a £10,000 fundraising campaign by the town's Stillbirth and Neo-Natal Death Society (Sands).

The sculpture, called Mother and Child, also provides a touching tribute to the work of promising Harrogate Grammar School pupil Claire Jennings, who was killed with three friends in a car crash four years ago.

Sarah Walker, of Sands, said: "Claire had taken part in an event to raise money for us, and her parents felt it was appropriate for money which came in after her funeral to go towards something she was involved in."

The group has been running for eight years and members had long been working towards setting up a memorial.

A £2,500 donation from Claire's parents, as well as £5,000 from Harrogate Lions and £2,500 which was raised by members of Sands, allowed the project to go ahead.

Mrs Walker said: "We wanted to create a quiet place where parents could go and visit their children's graves.

"It really is a beautiful carving."